


There is more in you

by OneLonelyWriter



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Character Relationships, Character Study, During Canon, F/M, Gen, Manipulation, Minor Character Death, Moon Cass, Post-Canon, Short, Sun Raps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23019307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneLonelyWriter/pseuds/OneLonelyWriter
Summary: With the powers of the Sun and the Moon gone, Rapunzel and Cassandra drift farther and farther away from each other.But soon a new power emerges that threatens to break apart everything they have worked for.Everything is not how it seems.
Relationships: Cassandra & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider (Disney), Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Cassandra & Varian (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 9
Kudos: 51
Collections: raps





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> To be honest, this has one of the best show endings ever. I hope they do something new with this universe. Good job, Disney.

It was over.

The Kingdom of Corona was now safe once again for the time being because of the brave actions of Princess Rapunzel.

It felt good, it felt wholesone, but it didn't feel complete; the couple of Rapunzel and Eugene were now ready for their wedding, the kingdom was once again freed from darkness, everybody was safe.

So why did it feel incomplete?

Because the most fearsome and reliable guard was laying down her sword for good in Corona and leaving nothing of herself behind.

Cassandra.

What choices did she make to complete her destiny?

* * *

The battle after Zhan Tiri was a horrible one for everyone all around, the citizens were exhausted with their homes and shops destroyed.

The trio of this adventure sat huddled together in a group hug that none seemed to want to break anytime soon.

Eugene and Rapunzel with a big grin and a small smile on their faces respectively, Cass with her head lowered and eyes closed.

Everybody held themselves with bated breath, hoping it was over once more.

But nobody was more exhausted than Cassandra.

She broke away from the hug first and leaned back on her knees, not all too keen on getting up quite yet.

Rapunzel and Eugene followed her lead by leaning back, but Eugene got up and walked away down the steps to check up on everybody.

He looked back to Rapunzel but she imperceptibly waved him off without her and he nodded in understanding, looking to Cass.

She didn't seem to notice the attention of the lovers, looking down at her knees and keeping her hands folded.

Rapunzel sat in silence with Cass for a few moments, unsure of what to do, opting to reach forward to grasp Cass' hand.

It didn't work as Cass instantly pulled away from her searching hand and gently leaned back on them, now looking up into the sky.

Rapunzel tried to catch her eye, but she wouldn't budge, staring stubbornly away.

Cass still stayed staring away, now looking over the people and to the demolished buildings to the side, asking the princess, “What are you going to do with me?”

Rapunzel perked up at the sound of her voice, momentarily happy to be taking to her, before it morphed into concern and dread at the question, ”Cass? What do you mean?”

”I can’t stay here Rap- Rapunzel. After all the destruction and pain I’ve caused you once more.” Cass now stared down at her lap, one of her hands behind her curling into a tight fist while the other remained motionless. 

”But... you can.” Rapunzel told her simply.

But Cass instantly refuted her words, ”I can’t. It isn’t that simple.” Cass’ eyed glazed over in guilt, “Nobody will forgive me. They’ll treat me like a villain.”

Rapunzel reaches out a hand to possibly comfort her friend, before pulling it back in consideration, ”You’ll be forgiven Cass. Remember with Varian.”

Rapunzel wanted Cass to know for certain that she could be forgiven once more, even if she went down the wrong path.

Like Varian, who became a quickly trusted ally in a small amount of time after his betrayal.

She trusted her friends, all of them, but something told her it wouldn’t be this simple with her closest friend. 

”I’m not like Varian.” Cass pointed out, “He was a kid who was hurt and got out of control trying to save his father. I’m a grown woman who unleashed an ancient demon because I didn’t feel the glory of a princess.”

Cass had her eyes narrowed at herself, gaze downward, arms tucked into herself.

Rapunzel realized that Cass was completely blaming herself for this entire ordeal. And it hurt Rapunzel immensely to see her doing that to herself, but also knowing where it was coming from. 

This time, Rapunzel did reach out and grab Cass’ uninjured hand, forcing her friend to look her in the eyes, “Cass, you can’t undermine or control your hurt.”  
  
Cass didn’t look away, green meeting hazel, but her look didn’t entirely seem to focus on her, ”But I can control my actions.” Cass gently pulled her hand from Rapunzel’s, “And I did. By going down the path that hurts everybody.”

”You knew you were wrong though. Don’t you want to make up for it?” Rapunzel insisted, leaning in closer to Cass.

”I know I am wrong, which makes it even worse because I’m opting to run.” Cass breaks her gaze once more, shutting in on herself, “But it’s the best choice for Corona. I shouldn’t be here. It isn’t my place.”

”But you’ve been here forever. You live here. You belong here.” Rapunzel pleaded.

Rapunzel wanted to tell Cass she was being ridiculous, but understood where she was coming from. All she could do was convince her to stay. At least for the time being.

But she knew she couldn’t make her stay, no matter how hard she tried.

”I belonged here. Now I belong somewhere else.” Is all Cass said, decided with finality. 

”Cass-“ Rapunzel tried once more, only to be cut off by a new voice entering.

”Rapunzel?” Came Varian’s hesitant voice, ending the conversation between Cassandra and Rapunzel, “We need you to help start the cleanup with the others.”

Rapunzel smiles at him with a fake smile, ”Oh, of course Varian. In a second.”

She wanted to continue talking to Cass, trying to turn back to her, before being shut down by said her instead. 

”No, go now Rapunzel. We’ll talk later.” And with that, Cass stood up from the broken ground and walked away down the steps and away from the crowd.

Rapunzel saw the way everybody looked to her in distrust when she disappeared around the corner of a broken building, and she couldn’t stop the horrible guilt in her chest.

But she wasn’t allowed to dwell on that now, with Varian tugging on her sleeve to urge her onward.

Rapunzel just hoped for a final word with her. To know what was going on inside of her head, maybe then she could fix or help ease.

As Cass said, it wasn’t that simple.


	2. Chapter 2

The fallen castle is cold and quiet, with irreparable walls smashed and shattered, surrounding Cassandra everywhere she looked. Nobody was in the castle but herself, all of them outside praising the princess for her "amazing" victory once more.

Well, she supposes, defeating a giant ancient demon was a pretty good victory.

She doesn't feel right with them anymore. The people she grew up with and saw everyday now looked different to her. They look at her with mistrust and fear, wary of whatever her next move might be.

She sure she looks different to them too.

A traitor.

A villain.

All the same name. No longer the great warrior she aspired to be, a protector of these people, for them specifically.

Where did it all go wrong?

_When you no longer trusted Rapunzel,_ a voice mingled at the back of her mind.

_When you no longer trusted yourself,_ Cassandra suppressed the voice.

Her own room, all demolished and destroyed by her own hand, looked like it was no longer hers. Those weapons in the closet, the necklace wrapped around a rose, the medal of honor for a hero, all for a stranger that no longer existed.

She didn't feel comfortable in her own skin anymore, the blackened and corrupted ash that her hand was a true representation of what she felt inside.

Corrupted and dark.

She had to be truthful to herself for once, and only once: she missed the moonstone.

And she felt horrible for thinking it, but she couldn't suppress the part of her mind that thought her in control and powerful with that infinite ability on her side, one of two with the most power, the most recognition.

Be it so she was manipulated, but Cassandra herself knows, she had wanted it.

Maybe only a small part of her, that was manipulated and used to grow into hate.

But it was always there. No matter how small.

Perhaps it would be better if she didn't see Rapunzel again.

"Cass!"

_I spoke too soon._

"Cass! Are you in here?" Rapunzel continued calling for her.

Cassandra inwardly groaned at the timing, shouting back a bit softer, "In here Raps- Rapunzel!"

Not a moment later did Rapunzel peek her head around the corner of Cass' doorframe, looking at the disheveled guard, and hesitantly pressed forward into her room to stand with her. Rapunzel gave her a small smile, "There you are. I was wondering where you ran off too."

Rapunzel is completely alone. No Eugene or even Pascal with her. How easy would it be to-

"Aren't you suppose to be helping to clean-up crew outside?" Cass questioned, shifting her weight from foot to foot and crossing her arms, continuing to look around the room and not at Rapunzel.

"Eugene took over so I could come find you."

"Oh." Cass isn't sure what to feel about that, so she just meets Rapunzel inquisitive eyes with another question, "Well, why are you here then?"

"Everybody's planning on going to the Snuggling Duckling for celebration and I was wondering... if you wanted to come with us as well." Rapunzel now sounds uncertain, rubbing the back of her neck, rustling her now short brown hair, "You don't have to, of course. It'd just be nice to have everyone together again."

_She doesn't trust you,_ a small voice spoke back to her, _she doesn't trust you not to leave._

_She's right about that assumption, isn't she?_

Cass hesitated before responding, uncharacteristically soft and uncertain (well, it used to be anyways), "Are you sure everyone would be okay with that? I mean... I can just stay here or wherever." Cass motioned around her damaged room, trying to find a way to get out of it.

"What? Of course we do. I mean- don't you want to see everyone else as well?" Rapunzel walked closer to Cass as she had to resist the urge to take a step back as well, Rapunzel slightly raising her hand as if to grab hers once more.

Now it was Cass' turn to rub the back of her neck, moving the hand Rapunzel was trying to grab (she could see it drop back down to her side), "Yeah, yes. But- no. I'm not sure that's a good idea-"

"Don't worry about them, Cass. This is the first step to-"

"-Them no longer seeing me as a monster?" Cass replies darkly. Rapunzel imperceptibly flinches.

"-To them seeing you as you again."

"Right."

"Cass..." Rapunzel gently warns.

Cassandra throws her hands up, conceding, "Fine. I'll come. Just lemme... give me a moment. I don't want to wear these anymore." Cass gestures to the skin-tight remnants of the rock armor she wore during the fight, "I'll meet you out there, okay Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel gives a short nod, starting to walk out the door and keeps looking to her until she's out of sight, "...Okay. I'll be waiting."

_I'll be waiting,_ it felt a bit good to have someone waiting on her now.

But she doesn't dwell on that, instead closing her door and going to her broken wardrobe to look for something she could change into.

All she sees is her old tights, undershirts, sweaters, boots, armor. Nothing new. Nothing there that would be different.

Deciding anything was better than what she was currently wearing, she takes her old clothes and promises to go get new ones sometime very soon.

She doesn't want anything of her old self.

She isn't her old self anymore.

After changing, Cass contemplates grabbing her old swords as she usually does, already reaching for it out of habit before quickly pulling back. It wasn't a good idea to go out armed when nobody trusted you at the moment.

So she leaves the sword hanging in pace in her wardrobe and closes the doors, leaving it in darkness.

Cassandra quickly exits her room, half-expecting to see Rapunzel waiting right outside her door to hover over her, but she's nowhere it sight.

Her first thought is that she went outside, to help for the first few moments, but then she wouldn't be waiting for Cass would she?

_She never breaks a promise, so she would be-_

Cass enters Rapunzel's room without knocking, looking in and seeing the princess with her journal clutched in her hands, open to a page near the end of the book. She looks tired and... sad.

_Is it because of me?_

Rapunzel startles when she notices the door opened and Cass is standing there, quickly shutting the book with a thud, "Oh Cass! Are you ready to go?"

Rapunzel hops off the bed, instantly cheerful once more and bouncing towards the baffled Cass.

"Uh, yeah. Are... you?" Cass asks hesitantly.

"Yeah. Of course. C'mon, let's not leave them waiting." Rapunzel grabs Cass' hand and she's about to pull away but thinks better of it, knowing the princess probably needed support right now.

She may not be the same Cass from before.

But she still will always care about Rapunzel.

That hadn't changed (even when going against her).

So, for now, she'll let herself be dragged behind the princess once more.

She has to make it up to her somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, another chapter.  
> The crew will get more recognition as time goes on but for right now, it's Cass and Rapunzel.  
> So enjoy until next time.  
> -OLW peace!


End file.
